The Black List is the annual round-up of feature film screenplays that have yet to be produced.
Hollywood’s annual round-up of most popular screenplays yet to be produced has been topped by Travis Braun’s Bad Boy.
The Black List is compiled from the suggestions of more than 375 film executives, each contributing the names of up to 10 favourite feature film screenplays that were written in, or associated with, 2023, and will not have begun principal photography during this calendar year.
It was founded by Franklin Leonard in 2005.
This year, scripts had to receive at least seven nominations to be included.
Hollywood’s annual round-up of most popular screenplays yet to be produced has been topped by Travis Braun’s Bad Boy.
The Black List is compiled from the suggestions of more than 375 film executives, each contributing the names of up to 10 favourite feature film screenplays that were written in, or associated with, 2023, and will not have begun principal photography during this calendar year.
It was founded by Franklin Leonard in 2005.
This year, scripts had to receive at least seven nominations to be included.
- 12/12/2023
- by Mona Tabbara
- ScreenDaily
Rounding up the best unproduced screenplays in Hollywood, as voted on by hundreds of film executives, The Black List has been a strong resource to clue one in on projects to potentially anticipate, but first, to kickstart Hollywood on bringing them to screen. Today we have this year’s edition, as voted on by more than 375 film executives.
Topping the 2023 edition is Travis Braun’s Bad Boy, which follows a rescue dog who suspects his loving new owner is a serial killer. Other scripts include The Great Pretender, a drama which imagines the kidnapping of Tom Hanks; the Super Bowl-set sniper drama The Nest; the Area 51 thriller 10/24/02; a Hans Christian Andersen meets Charles Dickens fantasy; plus films about Patsy Cline, Didier Drogba, Arthur Miller and Elia Kazan, Ftx’s downfall, and more.
See the list below via Deadline (and Pdf here), ranked from top to bottom by number of votes.
Topping the 2023 edition is Travis Braun’s Bad Boy, which follows a rescue dog who suspects his loving new owner is a serial killer. Other scripts include The Great Pretender, a drama which imagines the kidnapping of Tom Hanks; the Super Bowl-set sniper drama The Nest; the Area 51 thriller 10/24/02; a Hans Christian Andersen meets Charles Dickens fantasy; plus films about Patsy Cline, Didier Drogba, Arthur Miller and Elia Kazan, Ftx’s downfall, and more.
See the list below via Deadline (and Pdf here), ranked from top to bottom by number of votes.
- 12/11/2023
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
At the close of a particularly fraught year for Hollywood screenwriters, Monday saw the release of the annual Black List – a ranking of the top unproduced scripts in show business.
Voted on by nearly 400 creative executives, this year’s favorite project that has yet to receive a greenlight is “Bad Boy” by Travis Braun, described simply as the tale of a rescue dog who suspects his loving new owner is a serial killer. C2 Motion Picture Group is financing the project and meeting with potential distribution partners imminently.
The list includes 76 titles and covers wide narrative ground. Kirill Baru and Eric Zimmerman’s “The Great Pretender” is the story of America’s sweetheart Tom Hanks getting kidnapped, and the doppelgänger who must step in to save him. Hunter Toro’s “Boy Falls From Sky” tells of an anxious playwright whose world is turned upside down by lies and bone-crushing accidents...
Voted on by nearly 400 creative executives, this year’s favorite project that has yet to receive a greenlight is “Bad Boy” by Travis Braun, described simply as the tale of a rescue dog who suspects his loving new owner is a serial killer. C2 Motion Picture Group is financing the project and meeting with potential distribution partners imminently.
The list includes 76 titles and covers wide narrative ground. Kirill Baru and Eric Zimmerman’s “The Great Pretender” is the story of America’s sweetheart Tom Hanks getting kidnapped, and the doppelgänger who must step in to save him. Hunter Toro’s “Boy Falls From Sky” tells of an anxious playwright whose world is turned upside down by lies and bone-crushing accidents...
- 12/11/2023
- by Matt Donnelly
- Variety Film + TV
The Black List announced the top unproduced screenplays of the year on Monday, December 11.
The “most liked” scripts include 76 feature screenplays by 80 writers, selected by more than 375 film executives. In the 19th edition of the annual list, the topics range from a Tom Hanks meta satire to a time-traveling couple who try to fall out of love. The making of ill-fated Broadway production “Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark,” a Patsy Cline biopic, and the true story behind the feud between Elia Kazan and Arthur Miller are also among the selected scripts.
After Todd Haynes helmed The Black List alum Samy Burch’s “May December” script, leading to multiple Golden Globe nominations, this year’s crop of best scripts is all the more essential following the writers strike.
“This year, the industry was defined by a debate about the value of writers within it, and I think it’s inevitable that...
The “most liked” scripts include 76 feature screenplays by 80 writers, selected by more than 375 film executives. In the 19th edition of the annual list, the topics range from a Tom Hanks meta satire to a time-traveling couple who try to fall out of love. The making of ill-fated Broadway production “Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark,” a Patsy Cline biopic, and the true story behind the feud between Elia Kazan and Arthur Miller are also among the selected scripts.
After Todd Haynes helmed The Black List alum Samy Burch’s “May December” script, leading to multiple Golden Globe nominations, this year’s crop of best scripts is all the more essential following the writers strike.
“This year, the industry was defined by a debate about the value of writers within it, and I think it’s inevitable that...
- 12/11/2023
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
The Black List has revealed its 2023 list of best unproduced screenplays, with scripts that include a biopic of country singer Patsy Cline, the rise and fall of Sam Bankman-Fried crypto empire Ftx, and an action-comedy about Tom Hanks and his doppelganger.
Topping this year’s list is a feature script from Travis Braun titled Bad Boy, with a logline that reads: “A rescue dog suspects his loving new owner is a serial killer.”
Elsewhere on the list is a screenplay about the Broadway playwright behind notorious disaster Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark from writer Hunter Toro, and a script focused on soccer star Didier Drogba from Jackson Kellard.
“This year, the industry was defined by a debate about the value of writers within it, and I think it’s inevitable that this year’s Black List means more than it has in the past,” said Black List founder and CEO Franklin Leonard.
Topping this year’s list is a feature script from Travis Braun titled Bad Boy, with a logline that reads: “A rescue dog suspects his loving new owner is a serial killer.”
Elsewhere on the list is a screenplay about the Broadway playwright behind notorious disaster Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark from writer Hunter Toro, and a script focused on soccer star Didier Drogba from Jackson Kellard.
“This year, the industry was defined by a debate about the value of writers within it, and I think it’s inevitable that this year’s Black List means more than it has in the past,” said Black List founder and CEO Franklin Leonard.
- 12/11/2023
- by Mia Galuppo
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Travis Braun’s screenplay Bad Boy, which follows a rescue dog who suspects that his loving new owner is a serial killer, topped the 2023 Black List today. The 19th edition, which was selected by more than 375 film executives, counts 76 feature screenplays by 80 writers.
Second place went to Justin Piasecki’s Stakehorse which follows a racetrack veterinarian who runs an off-the-books ER for criminals, and finds his practice and life in jeopardy when he’s recruited for his patient’s heist.
“This year, the industry was defined by a debate about the value of writers within it, and I think it’s inevitable that this year’s Black List means more than it has in the past,” said its founder Franklin Leonard. “I’ve been saying that writing is the lifeblood of the industry for almost twenty years now, and I’ll continue saying it until the industry actually starts acting like it.
Second place went to Justin Piasecki’s Stakehorse which follows a racetrack veterinarian who runs an off-the-books ER for criminals, and finds his practice and life in jeopardy when he’s recruited for his patient’s heist.
“This year, the industry was defined by a debate about the value of writers within it, and I think it’s inevitable that this year’s Black List means more than it has in the past,” said its founder Franklin Leonard. “I’ve been saying that writing is the lifeblood of the industry for almost twenty years now, and I’ll continue saying it until the industry actually starts acting like it.
- 12/11/2023
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Novak Djokovic came under a barrage of criticism for his cameo during football's prize-giving night at the 67th annual ceremony of the Ballon d'Or.
Djokovic, who is competing in Paris this week , answered France Football's invitation to take part in Monday's extravaganza under the gaze of photographers, distinguished football head honchos, and world-class football stars.
The Serbian's task wasn't just walking the red carpet and posing for pictures with the men's best player Lionel Messi . Djokovic was entrusted to present the best women's footballer award to Spain's World Cup winner and Barcelona midfielder Aitana Bonmati.
Just before he took to the stage, the 36-year-old was given an ostentatious introduction fitting of his legendary career by the Mc of the night - retired footballer Didier Drogba.
While tennis has always been Djokovic's favorite sport, he regards football as the greatest sport and shared during his short speech on stage that...
Djokovic, who is competing in Paris this week , answered France Football's invitation to take part in Monday's extravaganza under the gaze of photographers, distinguished football head honchos, and world-class football stars.
The Serbian's task wasn't just walking the red carpet and posing for pictures with the men's best player Lionel Messi . Djokovic was entrusted to present the best women's footballer award to Spain's World Cup winner and Barcelona midfielder Aitana Bonmati.
Just before he took to the stage, the 36-year-old was given an ostentatious introduction fitting of his legendary career by the Mc of the night - retired footballer Didier Drogba.
While tennis has always been Djokovic's favorite sport, he regards football as the greatest sport and shared during his short speech on stage that...
- 11/1/2023
- Tennis-Infinity
From a quenelle salute to World Cup controversy, the brilliant short-fuse striker comes with baggage, and this film does a fair job with some fraught material
A galaxy of major names – including Thierry Henry, Arsène Wenger and Didier Drogba – line up to chip in their two-penn’orth on one of the great footballing enigmas of modern times: Nicolas Anelka, the mercurial boy wonder who burst out of the Parisian banlieues but will probably linger longest in the collective memory for triggering a player strike at the 2010 World Cup and flashing the quenelle salute, widely regarded as an ansemitic gesture, after scoring a goal for West Brom in 2013.
But there’s a bit more to this than your standard sporting hagiography: Anelka comes with a lot of baggage, and this film from French director Franck Nataf does its best to get stuck into some comparatively heavy material. We start at the beginning,...
A galaxy of major names – including Thierry Henry, Arsène Wenger and Didier Drogba – line up to chip in their two-penn’orth on one of the great footballing enigmas of modern times: Nicolas Anelka, the mercurial boy wonder who burst out of the Parisian banlieues but will probably linger longest in the collective memory for triggering a player strike at the 2010 World Cup and flashing the quenelle salute, widely regarded as an ansemitic gesture, after scoring a goal for West Brom in 2013.
But there’s a bit more to this than your standard sporting hagiography: Anelka comes with a lot of baggage, and this film from French director Franck Nataf does its best to get stuck into some comparatively heavy material. We start at the beginning,...
- 8/5/2020
- by Andrew Pulver
- The Guardian - Film News
We’ve had the pleasure of checking in with FIFA throughout the summer, and we were excited to get our hands on the finished product for the full review. That wait is over, and we’ve kicked the tires on the full version of FIFA 20 now for about a week, and so far, we like what we’ve seen. EA Sports has delivered a complete game, one that encompasses the sport of soccer/football from the street level to the upper echelons of the UEFA tournament and everything in between. There is a lot to do here for die-hard and casual fans alike, but the stand out this year is in the brand new Volta mode, which we’ll get to in a bit.
Let’s be clear though — like its genre contemporaries, FIFA 20 doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel. The core gameplay is intact — with new animations and some new controls,...
Let’s be clear though — like its genre contemporaries, FIFA 20 doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel. The core gameplay is intact — with new animations and some new controls,...
- 9/26/2019
- by Jon Hueber
- We Got This Covered
Soccer Aid for Unicef 2019, broadcast live and exclusively on ITV and Stv this week, has raised a record-breaking £6,774,764 so far – over £1m more than last year’s on the night total – for Unicef’s vital work keeping children around the world happy, healthy and safe to play.
This amount was raised thanks to the generous support of the UK public, ITV and Stv viewers, and the UK government who have matched all donations so far, doubling the difference made to children’s lives. This figure has smashed all previous records for money raised on the night.
The eagerly anticipated match took place in London for the first time in over a decade, packing out Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge Stadium with a whopping 39,836 in attendance. The match ended in a 2-2 draw, leading to a nail-biting penalty shoot-out for the second year in a row, with the Soccer Aid World XI...
This amount was raised thanks to the generous support of the UK public, ITV and Stv viewers, and the UK government who have matched all donations so far, doubling the difference made to children’s lives. This figure has smashed all previous records for money raised on the night.
The eagerly anticipated match took place in London for the first time in over a decade, packing out Chelsea’s Stamford Bridge Stadium with a whopping 39,836 in attendance. The match ended in a 2-2 draw, leading to a nail-biting penalty shoot-out for the second year in a row, with the Soccer Aid World XI...
- 6/18/2019
- Look to the Stars
Soccer Aid for Unicef players including Usain Bolt, Niall Horan, Jamie Redknapp and Sir Mo Farah joined more than 250 guests for a star-studded gala tonight at the Science Museum in South Kensington, raising a staggering £425,000 to support Unicef’s vital work protecting children in danger around the world.
The superstars and footballing legends descended on London’s Science Museum for the first ever Soccer Aid for Unicef Gala, hosted by Mark Wright. The evening featured an interactive football themed reception, complete with a real grass ‘green carpet’ and walkthrough player tunnel. Guests were also treated to exclusive performances from Robbie Williams and world freestyle football sensation, Ben Nuttall.
As part of his performance, Robbie Williams announced live on stage Sir Mo Farah will be this year’s captain of the England team, much to the surprise of Sir Mo himself, who was delighted to accept the captain’s armband.
Actor...
The superstars and footballing legends descended on London’s Science Museum for the first ever Soccer Aid for Unicef Gala, hosted by Mark Wright. The evening featured an interactive football themed reception, complete with a real grass ‘green carpet’ and walkthrough player tunnel. Guests were also treated to exclusive performances from Robbie Williams and world freestyle football sensation, Ben Nuttall.
As part of his performance, Robbie Williams announced live on stage Sir Mo Farah will be this year’s captain of the England team, much to the surprise of Sir Mo himself, who was delighted to accept the captain’s armband.
Actor...
- 6/14/2019
- Look to the Stars
This week, actor David Harewood met members of parliament at a Soccer Aid for Unicef event at the Houses of Parliament to support the Great Big Kickabout.
MPs attended the afternoon reception, which was hosted by Speaker of the House of Commons, Rt Hon Jon Bercow, in the State Rooms. David Harewood told MPs about his recent trip to Sierra Leone, where he saw first-hand how Unicef programmes are improving child health, early childhood development and education in vulnerable communities.
David Harewood said: "I recently travelled to Sierra Leone with Unicef saw with my own eyes some of the incredible work done to help children around the world.
“I visited a baby care unit where there were babies no bigger than my hand, fighting for breath and fighting for life. The lifesaving work doctors and staff were doing there reminded me of why I play for Soccer Aid for Unicef.
MPs attended the afternoon reception, which was hosted by Speaker of the House of Commons, Rt Hon Jon Bercow, in the State Rooms. David Harewood told MPs about his recent trip to Sierra Leone, where he saw first-hand how Unicef programmes are improving child health, early childhood development and education in vulnerable communities.
David Harewood said: "I recently travelled to Sierra Leone with Unicef saw with my own eyes some of the incredible work done to help children around the world.
“I visited a baby care unit where there were babies no bigger than my hand, fighting for breath and fighting for life. The lifesaving work doctors and staff were doing there reminded me of why I play for Soccer Aid for Unicef.
- 5/22/2019
- Look to the Stars
Critically Acclaimed singer-songwriter, fashion designer, actress and TV star Rita Ora will perform an exclusive live half time set at Soccer Aid for Unicef 2019 at Chelsea Fc’s Stamford Bridge Stadium in London on Sunday 16th June, broadcast exclusively on ITV and Stv.
The global superstar has also been named a Unicef UK Ambassador, it was announced today. Having supported Unicef UK since 2013, when she featured in the charity’s ‘No Place Like Home’ video to help raise awareness of the refugee crisis in Syria, Rita has supported numerous campaigns and performed at celebrated Unicef events including the Halloween Ball, Match for Children and the Unicef Summer Gala in Italy.
Rita also recently travelled to her native Kosovo earlier this year in support of the Soccer Aid for Unicef campaign to see how Unicef programmes are improving child health, childhood development and education in marginalised communities.
Rita made the surprise...
The global superstar has also been named a Unicef UK Ambassador, it was announced today. Having supported Unicef UK since 2013, when she featured in the charity’s ‘No Place Like Home’ video to help raise awareness of the refugee crisis in Syria, Rita has supported numerous campaigns and performed at celebrated Unicef events including the Halloween Ball, Match for Children and the Unicef Summer Gala in Italy.
Rita also recently travelled to her native Kosovo earlier this year in support of the Soccer Aid for Unicef campaign to see how Unicef programmes are improving child health, childhood development and education in marginalised communities.
Rita made the surprise...
- 5/14/2019
- Look to the Stars
Soccer Aid for Unicef is breaking new ground in football by including top female ex-professionals alongside their male counterparts – for the first time – in the world’s biggest and most successful charity football match.
Working in partnership with the Football Association, match organisers have agreed that two top tier female players will feature on each team for the full 90 minutes alongside a mix of male ex-football legends and celebrities.
The game at Chelsea Fc’s Stamford Bridge will be monitored by Brunel University researchers who are conducting an ongoing study for the Fa into mixed adult participation in recreational football.
Ex-England internationals Rachel Yankey OBE and Katie Chapman will be the first female players to feature for the Soccer Aid for Unicef England team co-managed by Sam Allardyce and Good Morning Britain presenter Susanna Reid.
Yankey is one of England’s most-capped players of all time with 129 caps to her name.
Working in partnership with the Football Association, match organisers have agreed that two top tier female players will feature on each team for the full 90 minutes alongside a mix of male ex-football legends and celebrities.
The game at Chelsea Fc’s Stamford Bridge will be monitored by Brunel University researchers who are conducting an ongoing study for the Fa into mixed adult participation in recreational football.
Ex-England internationals Rachel Yankey OBE and Katie Chapman will be the first female players to feature for the Soccer Aid for Unicef England team co-managed by Sam Allardyce and Good Morning Britain presenter Susanna Reid.
Yankey is one of England’s most-capped players of all time with 129 caps to her name.
- 5/1/2019
- Look to the Stars
BBC’s Live World Cup Feed Cuts Out During Video Technology Discussion Of France’s Win Over Australia
The BBC are having a hard time with their live feed of the World Cup today with its post-match analysis of France’s narrow win over Australia cutting out a number of times.
The British public broadcaster will be glad that the technology failure happened after the match, so as not to remind viewers of the torrid time experienced by ITV during the 2010 World Cup where high-definition viewers missed England’s first goal against the United States thanks to a similar error.
The feed cut out three times during the coverage, which featured former Manchester United defender Phil Neville, ironically, discussing the controversial video technology Var, which is used to decide close calls during the game. Neville was in the BBC’s studio alongside former England footballer Alex Scott and ex-Chelsea striker Didier Drogba. It was being hosted by Mark Chapman.
During the black-out, screens initially went to an error message,...
The British public broadcaster will be glad that the technology failure happened after the match, so as not to remind viewers of the torrid time experienced by ITV during the 2010 World Cup where high-definition viewers missed England’s first goal against the United States thanks to a similar error.
The feed cut out three times during the coverage, which featured former Manchester United defender Phil Neville, ironically, discussing the controversial video technology Var, which is used to decide close calls during the game. Neville was in the BBC’s studio alongside former England footballer Alex Scott and ex-Chelsea striker Didier Drogba. It was being hosted by Mark Chapman.
During the black-out, screens initially went to an error message,...
- 6/16/2018
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
Some 3.4 billion people — almost half of the world’s 7.6B population — is expected to watch the FIFA World Cup that starts Thursday, as the soccer tournament, which takes place this year in Russia, remains one of the world’s most popular media events.
Latin America is expected to have the largest number of viewers, according to research company GlobalWebIndex, followed by the Middle East and Africa, Asia Pacific and Europe. However, thanks to an embarrassing defeat against Trinidad & Tobago, the U.S. won’t be competing in the World Cup for the first time since 1986, a major blow to one of the largest TV markets in the world (albeit one hamstrung by time differences this time around). It’s thought that less than a quarter of the population in the U.S. will tune in to watch any games, and those may be largely expats and those cheering on the Mexican team.
Latin America is expected to have the largest number of viewers, according to research company GlobalWebIndex, followed by the Middle East and Africa, Asia Pacific and Europe. However, thanks to an embarrassing defeat against Trinidad & Tobago, the U.S. won’t be competing in the World Cup for the first time since 1986, a major blow to one of the largest TV markets in the world (albeit one hamstrung by time differences this time around). It’s thought that less than a quarter of the population in the U.S. will tune in to watch any games, and those may be largely expats and those cheering on the Mexican team.
- 6/13/2018
- by Peter White and Nancy Tartaglione
- Deadline Film + TV
Keira Knightley and a number of famous faces were out on Monday to trade in support of Bgc Charity Day. Bgc set up its charity day to commemorate the 658 colleagues and 61 Eurobroker employees who were tragically killed on September 11 by distributing 100 percent of their global revenues to Relief Fund and other charities around the world. Keira attended the event on behalf of the Sma Trust, a charity dedicated to finding a cure and treatments for Spinal Muscular Atrophy. Past Bgc Charity Days have seen the likes of Prince Harry and Prince William, Margot Robbie, and Jake Gyllenhaal reach for the phone to show their support. Read on to see Keira play stockbroker alongside Elizabeth Hurley, Danny DeVito, and Didier Drogba.
- 9/11/2017
- by Lucy Kenny
- Popsugar.com
In the mid 90s foreign players flocked to the English Premier League like Brits to sunny Benidorm. With them they brought style, skill, flair, character, and extravagant simulation; aka diving.
In the first Premier League season (1992/93) there were only 11 foreign players named in the starting line-ups for the first set of fixtures. Since then over 2,000 foreign players have graced the Premier League. So it’s no coincidence that the amount of simulation has increased as the years have gone on. I mean Jurgen Klinsmann would openly celebrate by showing the world he was a cheater when he scored a goal. It’s sadly now just become part of the beautiful game. You could even go as far as saying that the creators of Football Manager 2018 should put ‘diving ability’ as an attribute on player’s profiles.
I know that it’s not only foreign imports who try to con the referee with their acrobatics, of course some British players fall into that category too. But watching back matches from the 70s and 80s, such as the Chelsea vs Leeds Fa Cup final in 1970 and the Liverpool vs Everton matches in the 80s, its clear that diving wasn’t a problem within the game. In fact most challenges in those era’s would now warrant an 8 match ban. Back then the game was known as a contact sport, so when tackles flew in, players accepted that it was part of the game. Players gave as good as they got. It was as important to have a player in your team who didn’t mind getting stuck in, as much as a goal scorer. Maybe that’s part of the problem. As the years have rolled by football has slowly become a non-contact sport. So as soon as players feel contact, however little, they will go down. To the point that certain players go down when their not even touched. You can’t get more non contact than that.
So next season the Fa have decided to clamp down on diving once and for all. The good old Fa. If I know the Fa like I think I do, then I’m sure they’ll make this aspect of the game even more of a problem. Which in the end will just highlight the fact it’s impossible to stamp diving out of the game. The fact they said and I quote, ‘we are trying to prevent “Robert Snodgrass situations”’, proves my point. Do they understand that “a Robert Snodgrass situation” already has a term, it’s called ‘simulation’. Are we meant to use that term now? Are pundit’s supposed to say, “oh he’ s done a Robert Snodgrass.” The Fa are apparently “formulating a process” that they hope will reverse the trend of more simulation in the English game. Oh great. I can’t wait to see what mess they make of this.
I have to agree with Sam Allardyce, the idea of a retrospective ban is ‘utter rubbish’. He goes on to make a valid point about what happens if the referees make a wrong decision, and how are the Fa supposed to reverse those mistakes. It’s impossible to fix by just saying that they will be handing out a two game retrospective ban for those who try to cheat their way to a positive result. The problem is that 99% of football players will try to win at all costs, even if it involves trying to con the referee into making the wrong decision.
Jurgen Klinsmann played up to his reputation as a diver when celebrating a goal.
It happens at all levels, be it in the Premier League or on a Saturday playing for Chalfont St Peter against Uxbridge in the Evo-stik League Southern Division One Central. Let’s take Victor Moses in the Fa Cup final. If the referee had been tricked into thinking he had been fouled, and Chelsea went on to score the penalty to win the game, do you think Antonio Conte would have cared if his player had cheated his way to victory? I mean I’m glad the referee wasn’t conned by Moses’ attempts to win a penalty as I don’t think it’s right. But that’s not to say I don’t think it’s wrong to try and attempt to do it. He was sent off, and that was the price he had to pay to attempt to win his team a penalty.
Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino described Dele Alli as “a little bit naughty” after winning a penalty against Swansea. But he doesn’t care. His team won, and the three points are all that matters. I guarantee managers prefer 3 points in whatever manner. The prospect of losing a player for two games with this new banning system out weighs playing fairly, and drawing the game.
The retrospective ban will not stamp out diving in football. There’s too much at stake during those 90 minutes. You’re telling me you wouldn’t want your player to dive to win a penalty if it meant you would win the league, or finish in the top four, or even avoid relegation? Some of these dives would make the club tens of millions of pounds. And I’ll tell you something that you probably already know, but if a player had the opportunity to go down to win a penalty and decided not to as it was deemed as simulation, the manager and players would definitely voice their opinion on the matter after the game. They would not be giving that player a pat on the back, and saying well done for playing fairly. I’ve been in changing rooms after football matches where managers have lost it at players who chose to stay on their feet, when actually they could have gone down and won a penalty. Players are somewhat told to cheat, in order to win the game at all costs.
But here’s the main problem with the new retrospective diving bans . ‘Only incidents that result in a player winning a penalty or lead to an opponent being sent off – through either a direct red card or two yellow cards – will be punished.’ Are you kidding me? So unless the dive results in a penalty or a red card, there will be no retrospective action? So let me throw out a couple of scenarios that mean it’s deemed acceptable to cheat and get away with it.
1. A player dives just outside the box, the referee deems it to be a foul and awards a free kick in the 92nd minute. That teams set piece taker then executes a perfect free kick and scores. The team then win the game from the resulting free kick they won through cheating.
The Fa will not be handing out a retrospective ban.
2. A player dives, the referee deems it to be a foul, and books the opposing defender. In the second half the player on a booking has to make an important tackle that he times wrong, and is shown another yellow card resulting in the team having to play with ten men.
The Fa will not be handing out a retrospective ban for the player who dived for the first yellow card incident.
Already its a mess! Sadly there is only one way to try and stop simulation. It seems Allardyce must have read my last article. I know he’s a big fan. He says, “bring technology in, let us look at it on the day and then bring a sin bin in so we can put him in that for 10 minutes and then put him back on.” He’s right. The retrospective ban will be confusing and hard to implement, as the smallest touch can prove they haven’t dived but it still wasn’t enough contact to go down. It’s impossible to call most simulation attempts 100% correctly. The only retrospective bans they can give is if there is no contact at all, but that is still tough to clamp down on because of the speed of the game. If a player believes a challenge is coming they may try to prevent the foul and possible injury by jumping out of the tackle. In the act of avoiding the tackle they may lose their balance, but it doesn’t mean they have attempted to dive. It’s clear when a player dives, and referees are there to spot these moments.
Victor Moses was sent off after receiving a second yellow card for diving in the 2017 Fa Cup Final.
Ultimately bringing in retrospective banning won’t mean it will stamp diving out of the game. Because this new law won’t actually effect the game in real time. A team that loses because of an opposing player diving don’t care if that player is then banned for the next two games as it doesn’t change the most important thing. The result. And what if that team are then playing their rivals in the next game and are unable to play there best player? That means the team who lost the game through an opposing player diving gets punished again. Not only that. If a player gets sent off due to an opposing player diving, that team still has to play a Premier League game with ten men for a period of the match. They are then punished for an opposing player cheating. After the final whistle is blown that team won’t care about retrospective action. The game has finished and the result stands.
The retrospective ban will not work fairly, and that’s the whole point of trying to solve diving within the game. Like me and Big Sam said, the only way is to find a solution is by using video technology during the actual game. That would definitely make players think twice about attempting to fool the referee into making a wrong decision. The idea of a sin bin could also work, like in Rugby. If a player is shown to have dived without any contact, the referee would place that player into a 10 minute sin bin. Players and fans will soon become fed up of playing with 10 men for long periods of the game. Chelsea fans quickly grew tired of Didier Drogba‘s embarrassing attempts to throw himself to the ground, and began to boo him when he kept trying to win cheap free kicks through simulation. It wasn’t long that he realised his own fans were against him. Of course he still went down far too easily at some points but at least the fans tried their best to change his ways. Maybe it’s up to certain players own fans to make them aware of their unacceptable antics.
Burnley manager Sean Dyche believes diving will be eradicated in six months if the bans are introduced, but I really can’t see that happening. It’s like how the Fa tried to cut out the verbal abuse referees receive from players, and look how that turned out. But what I can’t seem to get my head around is why haven’t the Fa been giving retrospective bans in the first place. I thought retrospective bans were given when referees had missed something off the ball, or had got something wrong. Then they would look back at the incident and decisions were corrected. So players diving surely falls under that category. They’ve been doing it for off the ball incidents so why have they not tried to implement this sooner. At the end of the day diving is cheating. so why let it go on for so long?
I do believe players should be punished for diving and trying to influence the result through cheating, but unfortunately it won’t stop players attempting it. Without doubt, clubs would take 3 points over a two game ban all day long. Isn’t that the reason why top Premier League clubs have such big expensive squads?...
In the first Premier League season (1992/93) there were only 11 foreign players named in the starting line-ups for the first set of fixtures. Since then over 2,000 foreign players have graced the Premier League. So it’s no coincidence that the amount of simulation has increased as the years have gone on. I mean Jurgen Klinsmann would openly celebrate by showing the world he was a cheater when he scored a goal. It’s sadly now just become part of the beautiful game. You could even go as far as saying that the creators of Football Manager 2018 should put ‘diving ability’ as an attribute on player’s profiles.
I know that it’s not only foreign imports who try to con the referee with their acrobatics, of course some British players fall into that category too. But watching back matches from the 70s and 80s, such as the Chelsea vs Leeds Fa Cup final in 1970 and the Liverpool vs Everton matches in the 80s, its clear that diving wasn’t a problem within the game. In fact most challenges in those era’s would now warrant an 8 match ban. Back then the game was known as a contact sport, so when tackles flew in, players accepted that it was part of the game. Players gave as good as they got. It was as important to have a player in your team who didn’t mind getting stuck in, as much as a goal scorer. Maybe that’s part of the problem. As the years have rolled by football has slowly become a non-contact sport. So as soon as players feel contact, however little, they will go down. To the point that certain players go down when their not even touched. You can’t get more non contact than that.
So next season the Fa have decided to clamp down on diving once and for all. The good old Fa. If I know the Fa like I think I do, then I’m sure they’ll make this aspect of the game even more of a problem. Which in the end will just highlight the fact it’s impossible to stamp diving out of the game. The fact they said and I quote, ‘we are trying to prevent “Robert Snodgrass situations”’, proves my point. Do they understand that “a Robert Snodgrass situation” already has a term, it’s called ‘simulation’. Are we meant to use that term now? Are pundit’s supposed to say, “oh he’ s done a Robert Snodgrass.” The Fa are apparently “formulating a process” that they hope will reverse the trend of more simulation in the English game. Oh great. I can’t wait to see what mess they make of this.
I have to agree with Sam Allardyce, the idea of a retrospective ban is ‘utter rubbish’. He goes on to make a valid point about what happens if the referees make a wrong decision, and how are the Fa supposed to reverse those mistakes. It’s impossible to fix by just saying that they will be handing out a two game retrospective ban for those who try to cheat their way to a positive result. The problem is that 99% of football players will try to win at all costs, even if it involves trying to con the referee into making the wrong decision.
Jurgen Klinsmann played up to his reputation as a diver when celebrating a goal.
It happens at all levels, be it in the Premier League or on a Saturday playing for Chalfont St Peter against Uxbridge in the Evo-stik League Southern Division One Central. Let’s take Victor Moses in the Fa Cup final. If the referee had been tricked into thinking he had been fouled, and Chelsea went on to score the penalty to win the game, do you think Antonio Conte would have cared if his player had cheated his way to victory? I mean I’m glad the referee wasn’t conned by Moses’ attempts to win a penalty as I don’t think it’s right. But that’s not to say I don’t think it’s wrong to try and attempt to do it. He was sent off, and that was the price he had to pay to attempt to win his team a penalty.
Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino described Dele Alli as “a little bit naughty” after winning a penalty against Swansea. But he doesn’t care. His team won, and the three points are all that matters. I guarantee managers prefer 3 points in whatever manner. The prospect of losing a player for two games with this new banning system out weighs playing fairly, and drawing the game.
The retrospective ban will not stamp out diving in football. There’s too much at stake during those 90 minutes. You’re telling me you wouldn’t want your player to dive to win a penalty if it meant you would win the league, or finish in the top four, or even avoid relegation? Some of these dives would make the club tens of millions of pounds. And I’ll tell you something that you probably already know, but if a player had the opportunity to go down to win a penalty and decided not to as it was deemed as simulation, the manager and players would definitely voice their opinion on the matter after the game. They would not be giving that player a pat on the back, and saying well done for playing fairly. I’ve been in changing rooms after football matches where managers have lost it at players who chose to stay on their feet, when actually they could have gone down and won a penalty. Players are somewhat told to cheat, in order to win the game at all costs.
But here’s the main problem with the new retrospective diving bans . ‘Only incidents that result in a player winning a penalty or lead to an opponent being sent off – through either a direct red card or two yellow cards – will be punished.’ Are you kidding me? So unless the dive results in a penalty or a red card, there will be no retrospective action? So let me throw out a couple of scenarios that mean it’s deemed acceptable to cheat and get away with it.
1. A player dives just outside the box, the referee deems it to be a foul and awards a free kick in the 92nd minute. That teams set piece taker then executes a perfect free kick and scores. The team then win the game from the resulting free kick they won through cheating.
The Fa will not be handing out a retrospective ban.
2. A player dives, the referee deems it to be a foul, and books the opposing defender. In the second half the player on a booking has to make an important tackle that he times wrong, and is shown another yellow card resulting in the team having to play with ten men.
The Fa will not be handing out a retrospective ban for the player who dived for the first yellow card incident.
Already its a mess! Sadly there is only one way to try and stop simulation. It seems Allardyce must have read my last article. I know he’s a big fan. He says, “bring technology in, let us look at it on the day and then bring a sin bin in so we can put him in that for 10 minutes and then put him back on.” He’s right. The retrospective ban will be confusing and hard to implement, as the smallest touch can prove they haven’t dived but it still wasn’t enough contact to go down. It’s impossible to call most simulation attempts 100% correctly. The only retrospective bans they can give is if there is no contact at all, but that is still tough to clamp down on because of the speed of the game. If a player believes a challenge is coming they may try to prevent the foul and possible injury by jumping out of the tackle. In the act of avoiding the tackle they may lose their balance, but it doesn’t mean they have attempted to dive. It’s clear when a player dives, and referees are there to spot these moments.
Victor Moses was sent off after receiving a second yellow card for diving in the 2017 Fa Cup Final.
Ultimately bringing in retrospective banning won’t mean it will stamp diving out of the game. Because this new law won’t actually effect the game in real time. A team that loses because of an opposing player diving don’t care if that player is then banned for the next two games as it doesn’t change the most important thing. The result. And what if that team are then playing their rivals in the next game and are unable to play there best player? That means the team who lost the game through an opposing player diving gets punished again. Not only that. If a player gets sent off due to an opposing player diving, that team still has to play a Premier League game with ten men for a period of the match. They are then punished for an opposing player cheating. After the final whistle is blown that team won’t care about retrospective action. The game has finished and the result stands.
The retrospective ban will not work fairly, and that’s the whole point of trying to solve diving within the game. Like me and Big Sam said, the only way is to find a solution is by using video technology during the actual game. That would definitely make players think twice about attempting to fool the referee into making a wrong decision. The idea of a sin bin could also work, like in Rugby. If a player is shown to have dived without any contact, the referee would place that player into a 10 minute sin bin. Players and fans will soon become fed up of playing with 10 men for long periods of the game. Chelsea fans quickly grew tired of Didier Drogba‘s embarrassing attempts to throw himself to the ground, and began to boo him when he kept trying to win cheap free kicks through simulation. It wasn’t long that he realised his own fans were against him. Of course he still went down far too easily at some points but at least the fans tried their best to change his ways. Maybe it’s up to certain players own fans to make them aware of their unacceptable antics.
Burnley manager Sean Dyche believes diving will be eradicated in six months if the bans are introduced, but I really can’t see that happening. It’s like how the Fa tried to cut out the verbal abuse referees receive from players, and look how that turned out. But what I can’t seem to get my head around is why haven’t the Fa been giving retrospective bans in the first place. I thought retrospective bans were given when referees had missed something off the ball, or had got something wrong. Then they would look back at the incident and decisions were corrected. So players diving surely falls under that category. They’ve been doing it for off the ball incidents so why have they not tried to implement this sooner. At the end of the day diving is cheating. so why let it go on for so long?
I do believe players should be punished for diving and trying to influence the result through cheating, but unfortunately it won’t stop players attempting it. Without doubt, clubs would take 3 points over a two game ban all day long. Isn’t that the reason why top Premier League clubs have such big expensive squads?...
- 6/16/2017
- by kieranedwards
- The Cultural Post
Montreal Impact Star Didier Drogba’s Foundation Cleared Of Fraud Charges After 7-Month Investigation
Didier Drogba’s charitable foundation was hit by allegations fraud and corruption earlier this year, but after a seven-month investigation the charity founded by the Montreal Impact soccer star has been cleared of all charges. As the Telegraph reports, the Britain-based Didier Drogba Foundation was accused or raising more than £1.7 million (approximately $2.8 million Canadian) but only turning […]...
- 12/2/2016
- by Brent Furdyk
- ET Canada
Mike Egerton/Empics Sport
At Cobham, Jose Mourinho closes the door to his office and slumps in his chair, fearing the worst. His team look great in training but that would lull weaker managers into a false sense of security. Falcao scored twice with not a hair out of place, Terry was imperious in their usual 5-a-side session. He asks himself, “What am I not seeing?”.
Jose’s phone vibrates. It’s an email from the Fa about his post-match comments after the home defeat to Southampton. Great.
While he is the best manager the Blues have ever in football sentimentality is for the history books and, currently hovering above the relegation zone after eight games, Chelsea’s season has run aground.
It’s not yet the spectacular fall from grace Leeds United experienced in 2004 nor is it the arid ten-year trophy drought that forced Liverpool to hit the panic...
At Cobham, Jose Mourinho closes the door to his office and slumps in his chair, fearing the worst. His team look great in training but that would lull weaker managers into a false sense of security. Falcao scored twice with not a hair out of place, Terry was imperious in their usual 5-a-side session. He asks himself, “What am I not seeing?”.
Jose’s phone vibrates. It’s an email from the Fa about his post-match comments after the home defeat to Southampton. Great.
While he is the best manager the Blues have ever in football sentimentality is for the history books and, currently hovering above the relegation zone after eight games, Chelsea’s season has run aground.
It’s not yet the spectacular fall from grace Leeds United experienced in 2004 nor is it the arid ten-year trophy drought that forced Liverpool to hit the panic...
- 10/7/2015
- by Damien St John
- Obsessed with Film
Pa/EA Sports
All eyes are firmly focused on the start of the new Premier League and Football League seasons, with managers and players (hopefully) concentrating on getting off to a crucial good start.
But while everyone’s attention is drawn to the action, spare a thought for the free agents of this world. The ones who are clearly talented enough for positions in Premier League teams, but just haven’t been given a second chance yet.
FIFA 16 draws ever-closer, and with the majority of teams’ transfer business completed, the free agent list for FIFA is taking shape, and there are certainly some bargains to be had. James Milner, Didier Drogba, and Yevhen Knoplyanka are three of the most talented free agents to have already found new homes during this window, but there are still plenty of big names left out there.
Free agents on FIFA can be the difference...
All eyes are firmly focused on the start of the new Premier League and Football League seasons, with managers and players (hopefully) concentrating on getting off to a crucial good start.
But while everyone’s attention is drawn to the action, spare a thought for the free agents of this world. The ones who are clearly talented enough for positions in Premier League teams, but just haven’t been given a second chance yet.
FIFA 16 draws ever-closer, and with the majority of teams’ transfer business completed, the free agent list for FIFA is taking shape, and there are certainly some bargains to be had. James Milner, Didier Drogba, and Yevhen Knoplyanka are three of the most talented free agents to have already found new homes during this window, but there are still plenty of big names left out there.
Free agents on FIFA can be the difference...
- 8/9/2015
- by Michael Potts
- Obsessed with Film
David Jones/Pa Archive
Chelsea moved within two points of the Premier League title with a 3-1 victory over Leicester City – and Gary Neville dismissed any talk of the Blues being “boring”, taking a dig at Kevin Keegan’s Entertainers in the process.
Keegan’s Newcastle United led the Premier League table by 12 points during the 1995-96 season but ended up being pipped at the post by Manchester United – and Neville described that team as “exciting losers” who “nobody remembers” now.
Jose Mourinho’s Blues meanwhile were forced to endure chants of “boring, boring Chelsea” during the 0-0 draw against Arsenal at the Emirates last weekend – but Sky Sports pundit Neville said that was “absolute nonsense” because “people remember winners”.
Mike Egerton/Pa Wire
The Entertainers were many Newcastle supporters’ favourite ever side, but their glorious failure was dismissed by the former Man United right-back when he was talking about...
Chelsea moved within two points of the Premier League title with a 3-1 victory over Leicester City – and Gary Neville dismissed any talk of the Blues being “boring”, taking a dig at Kevin Keegan’s Entertainers in the process.
Keegan’s Newcastle United led the Premier League table by 12 points during the 1995-96 season but ended up being pipped at the post by Manchester United – and Neville described that team as “exciting losers” who “nobody remembers” now.
Jose Mourinho’s Blues meanwhile were forced to endure chants of “boring, boring Chelsea” during the 0-0 draw against Arsenal at the Emirates last weekend – but Sky Sports pundit Neville said that was “absolute nonsense” because “people remember winners”.
Mike Egerton/Pa Wire
The Entertainers were many Newcastle supporters’ favourite ever side, but their glorious failure was dismissed by the former Man United right-back when he was talking about...
- 4/30/2015
- by Chris Waugh
- Obsessed with Film
Adam Davy/Pa Wire
According to the Daily Mail reports yesterday, West Ham striker Enner Valencia has a hidden buy-out clause in his contract that would allow a Champions League club to sign him, with the figure needed to release him just £20million.
With Chelsea’s attacking options limited by Andre Schurrle’s impending move to Wolfsburg, Jose Mourinho is apparently looking for more attacking options. His side are too reliant on Diego Costa’s goals and have limited other options up-top if he picks up more bans or injuries: Didier Drogba has limited long-term impact and Loic Remy just doesn’t look up to the task.
That situation has led to Mourinho looking to identify options to bolster his squad with someone who can genuinely impact the goals for column, and Enner Valencia looks like a viable option. Chelsea have more than the 15 Premier League games to concentrate on...
According to the Daily Mail reports yesterday, West Ham striker Enner Valencia has a hidden buy-out clause in his contract that would allow a Champions League club to sign him, with the figure needed to release him just £20million.
With Chelsea’s attacking options limited by Andre Schurrle’s impending move to Wolfsburg, Jose Mourinho is apparently looking for more attacking options. His side are too reliant on Diego Costa’s goals and have limited other options up-top if he picks up more bans or injuries: Didier Drogba has limited long-term impact and Loic Remy just doesn’t look up to the task.
That situation has led to Mourinho looking to identify options to bolster his squad with someone who can genuinely impact the goals for column, and Enner Valencia looks like a viable option. Chelsea have more than the 15 Premier League games to concentrate on...
- 2/2/2015
- by Simon Gallagher
- Obsessed with Film
Matthew Impey/Pa Archive
Chelsea fans have seen some amazing names join the club over the past decade. Stars like Didier Drogba, Ricardo Carvalho, Arjen Robben and Ashley Cole have ensured Chelsea are now considered one of the top clubs in Europe
Mourinho is now in charge of what could potentially be the best squad since 2004 complete with striker Diego Costa, who is scoring goals for fun and picking up many fans while doing it. Others such as Cesc Fabregas have been such a hit, that Chelsea are considered one of the favourites for the title this season along with Manchester City.
The club is currently home to some of the world’s best players, but not everyone has lived up to their full potential. Since Roman Abramovich took over in 2003, Chelsea have spent over £750M on transfer fees, a staggering figure that would suggest the quest for trophies would...
Chelsea fans have seen some amazing names join the club over the past decade. Stars like Didier Drogba, Ricardo Carvalho, Arjen Robben and Ashley Cole have ensured Chelsea are now considered one of the top clubs in Europe
Mourinho is now in charge of what could potentially be the best squad since 2004 complete with striker Diego Costa, who is scoring goals for fun and picking up many fans while doing it. Others such as Cesc Fabregas have been such a hit, that Chelsea are considered one of the favourites for the title this season along with Manchester City.
The club is currently home to some of the world’s best players, but not everyone has lived up to their full potential. Since Roman Abramovich took over in 2003, Chelsea have spent over £750M on transfer fees, a staggering figure that would suggest the quest for trophies would...
- 10/22/2014
- by Jamie Bassett
- Obsessed with Film
Owen Humphreys/Pa Archive
For a club lacking in recent trophies, Newcastle United have many memories of European football – both good and bad. The following 10 are a celebration of the great floodlit nights and sporadic moments of brief hope. In 16 seasons of European participation, the Magpies have reached one final, one semi-final and two quarter-finals, with Alan Shearer top scorer with 30 and the mighty Shola Ameobi next with 15 goals. Trips to Hungary, Bulgaria, Sweden, Serbia and Russia haven’t fazed the Toon Army, who always travel in their thousands to cheer their heroes.
It’s not always been good, though. That penalty shootout against Partizan Belgrade still haunts many fans, who believe it was the beginning of the end for Sir Bobby Robson’s wonderful team. After a summer of inactivity, Robson’s men did the hard work by winning 1-0 in Belgrade but lost at St James’ Park. That night was a turning point.
For a club lacking in recent trophies, Newcastle United have many memories of European football – both good and bad. The following 10 are a celebration of the great floodlit nights and sporadic moments of brief hope. In 16 seasons of European participation, the Magpies have reached one final, one semi-final and two quarter-finals, with Alan Shearer top scorer with 30 and the mighty Shola Ameobi next with 15 goals. Trips to Hungary, Bulgaria, Sweden, Serbia and Russia haven’t fazed the Toon Army, who always travel in their thousands to cheer their heroes.
It’s not always been good, though. That penalty shootout against Partizan Belgrade still haunts many fans, who believe it was the beginning of the end for Sir Bobby Robson’s wonderful team. After a summer of inactivity, Robson’s men did the hard work by winning 1-0 in Belgrade but lost at St James’ Park. That night was a turning point.
- 10/12/2014
- by Marc Jobling
- Obsessed with Film
Jonathan Brady/Pa Archive/Press Association Images
In our last Chelsea poll, you voted overwhelming in support of Chelsea’s ability to win the league this season. 88% of you think Jose Mourinho’s side stand a great chance of Premier League victory next May, while only 12% believe there is still work to be done.
Our next poll is a follow-up to an article posted yesterday related to Mourinho’s need to sell one foreign player from his squad in order to meet the Premier League’s quota for non-homegrown players for the season. To clarify, a Premier League squad is only allowed to have 17 players who are over 21 years old and not developed in England, aka have spent a minimum of three years playing in this country prior to their 21st birthday. Chelsea’s squad currently has 18 such players, meaning one will either have to be sold or spend the season twiddling his thumbs.
In our last Chelsea poll, you voted overwhelming in support of Chelsea’s ability to win the league this season. 88% of you think Jose Mourinho’s side stand a great chance of Premier League victory next May, while only 12% believe there is still work to be done.
Our next poll is a follow-up to an article posted yesterday related to Mourinho’s need to sell one foreign player from his squad in order to meet the Premier League’s quota for non-homegrown players for the season. To clarify, a Premier League squad is only allowed to have 17 players who are over 21 years old and not developed in England, aka have spent a minimum of three years playing in this country prior to their 21st birthday. Chelsea’s squad currently has 18 such players, meaning one will either have to be sold or spend the season twiddling his thumbs.
- 8/27/2014
- by Xander Markham
- Obsessed with Film
Chelsea TV
Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock this past month, you’ve probably seen a large volume of videos of friends and relatives getting soaked wet through. Just in case you’re worried that everyone bar yourself has gone completely crazy, there’s a method behind the madness. These videos are in aid of sufferers of Lou Gehrig’s disease, with the internet phenomenon known as the ‘Ice Bucket Challenge’ helping to raise millions for those afflicted with the condition.
The Ice Bucket Challenge has seen countless hundreds of people – including celebrities – be nominated and nominate others to have a bucket of ice water tipped over their heads while recording it on video, with thousands sharing the footage across social media to help raise awareness for Als, a neurological disease that effects the brain and spine leading to occasional paralysis and, sometimes, death.
We’ve seen famous...
Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock this past month, you’ve probably seen a large volume of videos of friends and relatives getting soaked wet through. Just in case you’re worried that everyone bar yourself has gone completely crazy, there’s a method behind the madness. These videos are in aid of sufferers of Lou Gehrig’s disease, with the internet phenomenon known as the ‘Ice Bucket Challenge’ helping to raise millions for those afflicted with the condition.
The Ice Bucket Challenge has seen countless hundreds of people – including celebrities – be nominated and nominate others to have a bucket of ice water tipped over their heads while recording it on video, with thousands sharing the footage across social media to help raise awareness for Als, a neurological disease that effects the brain and spine leading to occasional paralysis and, sometimes, death.
We’ve seen famous...
- 8/24/2014
- by Joseph Dempsey
- Obsessed with Film
Andrew Matthews/Pa Wire/Press Association Images
There seems to be widespread consensus that Chelsea are comfortable favourites to take the Premier League trophy at the end of the season. The Blues have a strong squad, bolstered by the addition of key signings Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas, while possible rivals Liverpool lost their key player from last season and Arsenal and Manchester United continue to struggle in their rebuilding efforts. Their 3-1 win against Burley last Monday was certainly an impressive and controlled show of intent.
We know what the so-called experts think when it comes to Chelsea’s chances, but we thought we’d turn the question over to you to find out the opinion of the people who really count: the fans.
There are certainly some variables worth taking into account before you make your selection, however. While Chelsea have a packed squad, there appears to be...
There seems to be widespread consensus that Chelsea are comfortable favourites to take the Premier League trophy at the end of the season. The Blues have a strong squad, bolstered by the addition of key signings Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas, while possible rivals Liverpool lost their key player from last season and Arsenal and Manchester United continue to struggle in their rebuilding efforts. Their 3-1 win against Burley last Monday was certainly an impressive and controlled show of intent.
We know what the so-called experts think when it comes to Chelsea’s chances, but we thought we’d turn the question over to you to find out the opinion of the people who really count: the fans.
There are certainly some variables worth taking into account before you make your selection, however. While Chelsea have a packed squad, there appears to be...
- 8/22/2014
- by Xander Markham
- Obsessed with Film
Andrew Matthews/Pa Archive/Press Association Images
Chelsea flop Fernando Torres could be about to be shipped out on loan to As Roma as part of an attempt to bring striker Mattia Destro the other way, according to Espn. The Blues are keen on Destro and are reportedly prepared to use Torres as a makeweight in any deal to sign the striker from the Italian side.
Torres, who has scored just 20 in 110 Premier League appearances since completing his £50 million move from Liverpool in 2011, has fallen down the pecking order at Stamford Bridge following the summer arrivals of Diego Costa and former player Didier Drogba. Roma are believed to be interested in rescuing the Spaniard from his nightmare at SW6, providing they can strike an agreement on his £180,000-a-week wages.
And Chelsea are hoping to use their interest in snagging Destro as part of the deal. The 23-year-old enjoyed a positive...
Chelsea flop Fernando Torres could be about to be shipped out on loan to As Roma as part of an attempt to bring striker Mattia Destro the other way, according to Espn. The Blues are keen on Destro and are reportedly prepared to use Torres as a makeweight in any deal to sign the striker from the Italian side.
Torres, who has scored just 20 in 110 Premier League appearances since completing his £50 million move from Liverpool in 2011, has fallen down the pecking order at Stamford Bridge following the summer arrivals of Diego Costa and former player Didier Drogba. Roma are believed to be interested in rescuing the Spaniard from his nightmare at SW6, providing they can strike an agreement on his £180,000-a-week wages.
And Chelsea are hoping to use their interest in snagging Destro as part of the deal. The 23-year-old enjoyed a positive...
- 8/21/2014
- by Joseph Dempsey
- Obsessed with Film
John Walton/Empics Sport
Jose Mourinho has revealed he passed up a chance to sign striker Diego Costa eight years ago when the player was still at Braga prior to signing with Atletico Madrid. The £32 million striker, who will be leading the line in Chelsea’s opening game of the Premier League season tonight at Burnley, was still a teenager learning his game at the time and Mourinho says he was ‘blind’ to the player’s potential.
In the 07/08 season, when Costa was first available, Chelsea already had strikers Didier Drogba, Nicolas Anelka, Andriy Shevchenko and Claudio Pizarro on the books, not to mention Salomon Kalou offering further backup and Israeli Ben Sahar breaking through from the academy. With Costa not yet having made his impact on the game, perhaps it’s no surprise that Jose decided not to take the plunge at the time. It’s also noteworthy that...
Jose Mourinho has revealed he passed up a chance to sign striker Diego Costa eight years ago when the player was still at Braga prior to signing with Atletico Madrid. The £32 million striker, who will be leading the line in Chelsea’s opening game of the Premier League season tonight at Burnley, was still a teenager learning his game at the time and Mourinho says he was ‘blind’ to the player’s potential.
In the 07/08 season, when Costa was first available, Chelsea already had strikers Didier Drogba, Nicolas Anelka, Andriy Shevchenko and Claudio Pizarro on the books, not to mention Salomon Kalou offering further backup and Israeli Ben Sahar breaking through from the academy. With Costa not yet having made his impact on the game, perhaps it’s no surprise that Jose decided not to take the plunge at the time. It’s also noteworthy that...
- 8/18/2014
- by Xander Markham
- Obsessed with Film
Andrew Matthews/Pa Wire/Press Association Images
Chelsea overcame Real Sociedad with little difficulty in the final game of their pre-season ahead of next Monday’s Premier League opener against Burnley. Two goals in a thrilling first ten minutes were enough to ensure victory, both coming courtesy of new striker, Diego Costa, signed for £32m from Atletico Madrid over the summer.
An amusingly over the top introduction to the Chelsea squad for 2014/15 preceded kick-off, complete with pyrotechnics to warm the players up in the billowing rain. The biggest applause was reserved for returning hero Didier Drogba (out with an injury tonight but expected to return soon) and newcomer Costa, who justified his reception with a neatly taken goal within a minute. A precise through ball into the box from Ramires found the naturalised Spaniard, who tucked the ball into the far corner of the onrushing Enaut Zubikarai’s goal.
Chelsea...
Chelsea overcame Real Sociedad with little difficulty in the final game of their pre-season ahead of next Monday’s Premier League opener against Burnley. Two goals in a thrilling first ten minutes were enough to ensure victory, both coming courtesy of new striker, Diego Costa, signed for £32m from Atletico Madrid over the summer.
An amusingly over the top introduction to the Chelsea squad for 2014/15 preceded kick-off, complete with pyrotechnics to warm the players up in the billowing rain. The biggest applause was reserved for returning hero Didier Drogba (out with an injury tonight but expected to return soon) and newcomer Costa, who justified his reception with a neatly taken goal within a minute. A precise through ball into the box from Ramires found the naturalised Spaniard, who tucked the ball into the far corner of the onrushing Enaut Zubikarai’s goal.
Chelsea...
- 8/13/2014
- by Xander Markham
- Obsessed with Film
Tony Marshall/Pa Wire/Press Association Images
Two moments of individual inspiration gave Chelsea a 2-1 victory against Hungarian side Ferencváros in the first game ever played at the Groupama Arena. With only two days having passed since the Blues’ last pre-season outing, a charity tournament against Besiktas and Fenerbahçe in Istanbul, Jose Mourinho elected to give starting minutes to youngsters Kurt Zouma and Andreas Christensen in defence and recent World Cup returnees Ramires, Willian and Andre Schurrle in midfield.
The lack of fitness and experience in the side weighed heavily on Chelsea in the first half. Their ponderous football struggled to break down a Ferencváros side pressing aggressively and playing out from the back. An early cross from Daniel Nagy found Attila Busai at the far post, but the striker sliced his shot over the crossbar before being ruled offside.
Chelsea responded with Schurrle picking up the ball with...
Two moments of individual inspiration gave Chelsea a 2-1 victory against Hungarian side Ferencváros in the first game ever played at the Groupama Arena. With only two days having passed since the Blues’ last pre-season outing, a charity tournament against Besiktas and Fenerbahçe in Istanbul, Jose Mourinho elected to give starting minutes to youngsters Kurt Zouma and Andreas Christensen in defence and recent World Cup returnees Ramires, Willian and Andre Schurrle in midfield.
The lack of fitness and experience in the side weighed heavily on Chelsea in the first half. Their ponderous football struggled to break down a Ferencváros side pressing aggressively and playing out from the back. An early cross from Daniel Nagy found Attila Busai at the far post, but the striker sliced his shot over the crossbar before being ruled offside.
Chelsea responded with Schurrle picking up the ball with...
- 8/11/2014
- by Xander Markham
- Obsessed with Film
Dave Thompson/Pa Archive/Press Association Images
Chelsea’s 2-1 victory against Hungarian side Ferencváros was marred by striker Didier Drogba being taken off with an ankle ligament injury which early reports suggest may rule the Ivorian striker out for up to six months. If true, the injury will throw a major spanner in the plans of manager José Mourinho, whose striking options ahead of the new season would be limited to £32m new signing Diego Costa, untested in the Premier League, and the decidedly unprolific Fernando Torres, who has yet to score more than eight Premier League goals in any of his three and a half seasons at the club.
The injury was suffered following an innocuous collision with Ferencváros keeper Denes Dibusz in the 20th minute. The Ivorian landed heavily and required immediate treatment from the Chelsea medical team, but returned to the field shortly after. After struggling to shake the injury off,...
Chelsea’s 2-1 victory against Hungarian side Ferencváros was marred by striker Didier Drogba being taken off with an ankle ligament injury which early reports suggest may rule the Ivorian striker out for up to six months. If true, the injury will throw a major spanner in the plans of manager José Mourinho, whose striking options ahead of the new season would be limited to £32m new signing Diego Costa, untested in the Premier League, and the decidedly unprolific Fernando Torres, who has yet to score more than eight Premier League goals in any of his three and a half seasons at the club.
The injury was suffered following an innocuous collision with Ferencváros keeper Denes Dibusz in the 20th minute. The Ivorian landed heavily and required immediate treatment from the Chelsea medical team, but returned to the field shortly after. After struggling to shake the injury off,...
- 8/11/2014
- by Xander Markham
- Obsessed with Film
Martin Rickett/Pa Wire/Press Association Images
Chelsea’s uncertain pre-season form continued with a 2-0 victory over Fenerbahçe, immediately followed by a 1-0 loss to Besiktas, in a one day pre-season tournament in Istanbul in which all games lasted 45 minutes, with proceeds going to the families of the Soma mining disaster.
The Turkish Superleague starts two weeks later than the English Premier League and the Blues’ superior fitness was telling in a convincing display against Fenerbahçe. Having recently lost 3-0 to Werder Bremen, their first loss in six pre-season games but certainly not their first messy display even taking fitness levels into account, they moved the ball around elegantly and were unlucky to see an Oscar goal called offside following a tidy through-ball from Eden Hazard.
With Petr Cech getting another chance to impress in the Blues’ battle of the goalkeepers – Belgian Thibaut Courtois was ruled out shortly before...
Chelsea’s uncertain pre-season form continued with a 2-0 victory over Fenerbahçe, immediately followed by a 1-0 loss to Besiktas, in a one day pre-season tournament in Istanbul in which all games lasted 45 minutes, with proceeds going to the families of the Soma mining disaster.
The Turkish Superleague starts two weeks later than the English Premier League and the Blues’ superior fitness was telling in a convincing display against Fenerbahçe. Having recently lost 3-0 to Werder Bremen, their first loss in six pre-season games but certainly not their first messy display even taking fitness levels into account, they moved the ball around elegantly and were unlucky to see an Oscar goal called offside following a tidy through-ball from Eden Hazard.
With Petr Cech getting another chance to impress in the Blues’ battle of the goalkeepers – Belgian Thibaut Courtois was ruled out shortly before...
- 8/9/2014
- by Xander Markham
- Obsessed with Film
Tony Marshall/Empics Sport
With Chelsea strikers having become so profligate in front of goal in recent seasons, it makes little sense that Jose Mourinho would readily depart with the prolific Romelu Lukaku before he has even entered the best years of his career. At just 21 years of age, he has over 30 caps for his country, has scored in a World Cup quarter-final and reached double figures in each of his last two seasons on loan in the Premier League.
Built like the returning Stamford Bridge icon Didier Drogba, and possessing frightening pace to accompany his larger-than-life frame, Lukaku is a menacing presence for any Premier League defender. The only thing that held him back at Stamford Bridge, it would appear, was patience.
For it was his lack of it which demanded a last-dash loan move to Everton last September, when it was in fact Demba Ba who was almost granted his wish.
With Chelsea strikers having become so profligate in front of goal in recent seasons, it makes little sense that Jose Mourinho would readily depart with the prolific Romelu Lukaku before he has even entered the best years of his career. At just 21 years of age, he has over 30 caps for his country, has scored in a World Cup quarter-final and reached double figures in each of his last two seasons on loan in the Premier League.
Built like the returning Stamford Bridge icon Didier Drogba, and possessing frightening pace to accompany his larger-than-life frame, Lukaku is a menacing presence for any Premier League defender. The only thing that held him back at Stamford Bridge, it would appear, was patience.
For it was his lack of it which demanded a last-dash loan move to Everton last September, when it was in fact Demba Ba who was almost granted his wish.
- 7/31/2014
- by Michael Ramsay
- Obsessed with Film
Tony Marshall/Empics Sport
Everton are not only about to pull off one of the coups of the season, but also of the club’s entire history, as they close in on the eye-wateringly (but reassuringly) expensive capture of Romelu Lukaku from Chelsea.
With confirmation expected in the next few hours, the player has taken to social media to tweet out a picture of him on board a plane – reportedly headed for Merseyside – carrying the caption “Time to write a new chapter….” That new chapter will cost Roberto Martinez’s traditionally frugal team around £24m, earning Chelsea a £5m mark-up on a player they’ve never given a chance to, and who was unthinkably not deemed of a sufficient quality to actually play for them. The finances of the football world continue to baffle.
The move was not unexpected, as the Chelse club shop has stopped fans from buying shirts...
Everton are not only about to pull off one of the coups of the season, but also of the club’s entire history, as they close in on the eye-wateringly (but reassuringly) expensive capture of Romelu Lukaku from Chelsea.
With confirmation expected in the next few hours, the player has taken to social media to tweet out a picture of him on board a plane – reportedly headed for Merseyside – carrying the caption “Time to write a new chapter….” That new chapter will cost Roberto Martinez’s traditionally frugal team around £24m, earning Chelsea a £5m mark-up on a player they’ve never given a chance to, and who was unthinkably not deemed of a sufficient quality to actually play for them. The finances of the football world continue to baffle.
The move was not unexpected, as the Chelse club shop has stopped fans from buying shirts...
- 7/30/2014
- by Simon Gallagher
- Obsessed with Film
Andrew Matthews/Pa Archive/Press Association Images
In the grand scheme of Jose Mourinho’s achievements in world football, if he manages to convince anyone to part with any money at all – whether that’s in terms of a transfer fee or a slither of his unjustly gigantic wages – for Fernando Torres, it would immediately be deemed the greatest moment of his starry career to date.
That is the objective that faces the Portuguese manager, as his club’s transfer policy of buying as many emerging foreign stars as possible – without intention to ever play them in some cases – and the latest decision to bring Didier Drogba back to the club means that the first-team squad has one too many foreign players to comply with the Premier League and Champions League rules relating to the home-grown quota.
Obviously, clubs haven’t yet found a colourful loophole to get round the...
In the grand scheme of Jose Mourinho’s achievements in world football, if he manages to convince anyone to part with any money at all – whether that’s in terms of a transfer fee or a slither of his unjustly gigantic wages – for Fernando Torres, it would immediately be deemed the greatest moment of his starry career to date.
That is the objective that faces the Portuguese manager, as his club’s transfer policy of buying as many emerging foreign stars as possible – without intention to ever play them in some cases – and the latest decision to bring Didier Drogba back to the club means that the first-team squad has one too many foreign players to comply with the Premier League and Champions League rules relating to the home-grown quota.
Obviously, clubs haven’t yet found a colourful loophole to get round the...
- 7/29/2014
- by Simon Gallagher
- Obsessed with Film
David Davies/Pa Archive/Press Association Images
Chelsea are a club used to getting what they want. Ever since the £140 million take-over by Russian tycoon Roman Abramovich in 2003, money has not been an object for the London outfit, one of English football’s most profligate sides of the 21st century.
Abramovich’s well-thumbed chequebook has been used to persuade some of the world’s best players to join the Stamford Bridge revolution over the past decade, with the likes of Arjen Robben, Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard and more recently Diego Costa pulling on a Blue jersey.
The players they have signed has understandably made all the back pages of the Sunday tabloids, with Abramovich signing no fewer than 89 players as a cost of £905 million since his takeover. But it’s the players he didn’t sign that get the less publicity.
Over the years, Chelsea have been linked with a number of stars,...
Chelsea are a club used to getting what they want. Ever since the £140 million take-over by Russian tycoon Roman Abramovich in 2003, money has not been an object for the London outfit, one of English football’s most profligate sides of the 21st century.
Abramovich’s well-thumbed chequebook has been used to persuade some of the world’s best players to join the Stamford Bridge revolution over the past decade, with the likes of Arjen Robben, Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard and more recently Diego Costa pulling on a Blue jersey.
The players they have signed has understandably made all the back pages of the Sunday tabloids, with Abramovich signing no fewer than 89 players as a cost of £905 million since his takeover. But it’s the players he didn’t sign that get the less publicity.
Over the years, Chelsea have been linked with a number of stars,...
- 7/24/2014
- by Joseph Dempsey
- Obsessed with Film
David Davies/Pa Wire/Press Association Images
There is no room for sentiment at Stamford Bridge. With the ruthless Roman Abramovich splurging endless amounts of cash into fine-tuning his star-studded squad, there always exists a pressure for instant success. With managers hired and fired at the drop of a hat, an players deemed disposable following a couple of shoddy displays, the blue half of London has become something of a pressure cooker in recent years.
Chelsea has often been touted as the ‘graveyard for talent’. While a number of players have flourished under the stewardship of Ancelotti, Mourinho et al, there is no denying that there is a stream of players who wish they had never set foot inside the walls of Stamford Bridge. With the striker’s curse hoping to be lifted by Diego Costa, there have been a number of players over the last number of years who...
There is no room for sentiment at Stamford Bridge. With the ruthless Roman Abramovich splurging endless amounts of cash into fine-tuning his star-studded squad, there always exists a pressure for instant success. With managers hired and fired at the drop of a hat, an players deemed disposable following a couple of shoddy displays, the blue half of London has become something of a pressure cooker in recent years.
Chelsea has often been touted as the ‘graveyard for talent’. While a number of players have flourished under the stewardship of Ancelotti, Mourinho et al, there is no denying that there is a stream of players who wish they had never set foot inside the walls of Stamford Bridge. With the striker’s curse hoping to be lifted by Diego Costa, there have been a number of players over the last number of years who...
- 7/22/2014
- by Michael Ramsay
- Obsessed with Film
Tim Hales/AP/Press Association Images
Despite Jose Mourinho’s claims that his transfer business is done for the summer, Chelsea are in talks with Didier Drogba over a possible return to the club, according to the BBC.
Drogba – who scored 157 goals in 341 appearances for the Blues before leaving for Shanghai Shenhua in 2012 – is currently a free agent after being released by Turkish outfit Galatasaray this summer, and is considering an emotional return to Stamford Bridge on a one-year contract.
Representatives for the Ivory Coast international insist a decision has not yet been reached over their client’s next career move, but talks with the Blues are well underway and if all goes to plan, Drogba could announce his decision to return to west London later this week.
Such a return would clearly delight Chelsea’s legions of fans, where Drogba is to this day considered a legend after gaining...
Despite Jose Mourinho’s claims that his transfer business is done for the summer, Chelsea are in talks with Didier Drogba over a possible return to the club, according to the BBC.
Drogba – who scored 157 goals in 341 appearances for the Blues before leaving for Shanghai Shenhua in 2012 – is currently a free agent after being released by Turkish outfit Galatasaray this summer, and is considering an emotional return to Stamford Bridge on a one-year contract.
Representatives for the Ivory Coast international insist a decision has not yet been reached over their client’s next career move, but talks with the Blues are well underway and if all goes to plan, Drogba could announce his decision to return to west London later this week.
Such a return would clearly delight Chelsea’s legions of fans, where Drogba is to this day considered a legend after gaining...
- 7/21/2014
- by Joseph Dempsey
- Obsessed with Film
Dave Thompson/Pa Archive/Press Association Images
According to reports emerging from French daily L’Equipe, Chelsea might be looking to bolster their attacking options with a sensational move to bring Didier Drogba back to the club after his release from Galatasaray.
Chelsea will head into the season with new signing Diego Costa as their main attacking threat, but with Romelu Lukaku once more linked with a loan move away fro the club, Samuel Eto’o released and Demba Ba subject to interest from both Everton and Newcastle, they will need some more options if they want to challenge Man City for the league title.
Free agent Drogba had been heavily linked with a move to Juventus, but Jose Mourinho wants to bring the striker back the club where he made a huge impact before moving to Turkey, and though his age is advancing, he still scored two goals last season in the Champions League,...
According to reports emerging from French daily L’Equipe, Chelsea might be looking to bolster their attacking options with a sensational move to bring Didier Drogba back to the club after his release from Galatasaray.
Chelsea will head into the season with new signing Diego Costa as their main attacking threat, but with Romelu Lukaku once more linked with a loan move away fro the club, Samuel Eto’o released and Demba Ba subject to interest from both Everton and Newcastle, they will need some more options if they want to challenge Man City for the league title.
Free agent Drogba had been heavily linked with a move to Juventus, but Jose Mourinho wants to bring the striker back the club where he made a huge impact before moving to Turkey, and though his age is advancing, he still scored two goals last season in the Champions League,...
- 7/12/2014
- by Simon Gallagher
- Obsessed with Film
Neal Simpson/Empics Sport
Any side with ambitions of winning the Premier League title needs to have a solid spine, a dependable goalkeeper first of all, the likes of Peter Schmeichel, Petr Cech or Edwin Van Der Sar. Two reliable defenders willing to put their body on the line for the team, the likes of John Terry, Jamie Carragher, Nemanja Vidic, Sol Campbell or Vincent Kompany. A striker that can put the ball in the back of the net is surely a must too, Thierry Henry, Alan Shearer, Didier Drogba, Wayne Rooney or Cristiano Ronaldo, possibly.
But for any great team, perhaps most crucial of all is to have solid central midfield base. One which can fill in and support the defence when needed, but also provide the ammunition for the likes of Henry and Shearer to finish, with an impeccably weighted through-ball or pin-point set piece delivery – they might...
Any side with ambitions of winning the Premier League title needs to have a solid spine, a dependable goalkeeper first of all, the likes of Peter Schmeichel, Petr Cech or Edwin Van Der Sar. Two reliable defenders willing to put their body on the line for the team, the likes of John Terry, Jamie Carragher, Nemanja Vidic, Sol Campbell or Vincent Kompany. A striker that can put the ball in the back of the net is surely a must too, Thierry Henry, Alan Shearer, Didier Drogba, Wayne Rooney or Cristiano Ronaldo, possibly.
But for any great team, perhaps most crucial of all is to have solid central midfield base. One which can fill in and support the defence when needed, but also provide the ammunition for the likes of Henry and Shearer to finish, with an impeccably weighted through-ball or pin-point set piece delivery – they might...
- 7/11/2014
- by Scott Williams
- Obsessed with Film
After Liverpool striker Luis Suarez disgraced himself yet again and confirmed his status as a vampire, by biting centre back Giorgio Chiellini on the shoulder, in Uruguay’s 1-0 victory over Italy on Tuesday – the third fellow professional footballer he has bitten in his career, after Psv’s Otman Bakkal and Chelsea’s Branislav Ivanovic – we started thinking…
If Suarez is a vampire, which other classic horror monsters could have been hiding in full sight amongst football’s ranks over the years?
The world of football boasts a wide variety of characters whose looks, traits and performances resemble some of the classic antagonists in movie history – namely the Universal Monsters. The classic Universal Monsters date back to 1923 and the classic era went on (with the likes of Boris Karloff, Lon Chaney, Lon Chaney Jr and Bela Lugosi) until 1960, but there have been more additions to the monster roster since then.
If Suarez is a vampire, which other classic horror monsters could have been hiding in full sight amongst football’s ranks over the years?
The world of football boasts a wide variety of characters whose looks, traits and performances resemble some of the classic antagonists in movie history – namely the Universal Monsters. The classic Universal Monsters date back to 1923 and the classic era went on (with the likes of Boris Karloff, Lon Chaney, Lon Chaney Jr and Bela Lugosi) until 1960, but there have been more additions to the monster roster since then.
- 6/26/2014
- by Kev Stewart
- Obsessed with Film
AP Photo/Sang Tan
The Professional Footballers’ Association Young Player of the Year is given to the player aged 23 or under who is adjudged to have been the best player of the season in English football.
A shortlist of nominees is published in April and the winner of the award, along with the winners of the Pfa’s other annual awards, is announced at a gala event in London a few days later. Players consider the award to be highly prestigious, because the winner is chosen by fellow professionals.
The first ever winner of this award was Kevin Beattie of Ipswich Town and the current holder of the award Gareth Bale, who is now one of Real Madrid’s Galacticos.
The fortunes of the winner of this award have been very mixed,, with top world talents such as David Beckham, Steven Gerrard and Cristiano Ronaldo winning the award.
However, there...
The Professional Footballers’ Association Young Player of the Year is given to the player aged 23 or under who is adjudged to have been the best player of the season in English football.
A shortlist of nominees is published in April and the winner of the award, along with the winners of the Pfa’s other annual awards, is announced at a gala event in London a few days later. Players consider the award to be highly prestigious, because the winner is chosen by fellow professionals.
The first ever winner of this award was Kevin Beattie of Ipswich Town and the current holder of the award Gareth Bale, who is now one of Real Madrid’s Galacticos.
The fortunes of the winner of this award have been very mixed,, with top world talents such as David Beckham, Steven Gerrard and Cristiano Ronaldo winning the award.
However, there...
- 2/27/2014
- by Jamie Micklethwaite
- Obsessed with Film
Scott Heppell/AP/Press Association Images
With United’s defensive rock announcing he is to leave this summer, likely in the direction of Italian giants Inter Milan, there’s no better time than to cast our mind’s back over Manchester UnitedcCareer of one of the best Centre Backs not only to pull on a Red Devil’s jersey, but to play in the Premier League.
After joining Manchester United from Spartak Moscow in 2006 for a relatively modest fee, the big Serb soon went on to be a staple of United’s back four, along the way picking up a Champions League medal, a Club World Cup medal, 3 League Cup medals, and 5 Premier League medals. This is enough to automatically cement the departing Captains place in United legend, but he is much more than just medals.
Let’s take a look at some of Nemanja Vidic’s best moments in the red of Manchester United.
With United’s defensive rock announcing he is to leave this summer, likely in the direction of Italian giants Inter Milan, there’s no better time than to cast our mind’s back over Manchester UnitedcCareer of one of the best Centre Backs not only to pull on a Red Devil’s jersey, but to play in the Premier League.
After joining Manchester United from Spartak Moscow in 2006 for a relatively modest fee, the big Serb soon went on to be a staple of United’s back four, along the way picking up a Champions League medal, a Club World Cup medal, 3 League Cup medals, and 5 Premier League medals. This is enough to automatically cement the departing Captains place in United legend, but he is much more than just medals.
Let’s take a look at some of Nemanja Vidic’s best moments in the red of Manchester United.
- 2/27/2014
- by John Howard
- Obsessed with Film
Rebecca Naden/Pa Archive/Press Association Images
The modern Premier League is a multicultural phenomenon; thanks to the influence of players like Eric Cantona and Gianfranco Zola, the league is the destination for players who see the money and headlines that await them, and thus, every season we sit back and wait for the latest big money foreign signing, that promise to transform the league and guide their new team to glory. In the past players like Didier Drogba and Sergio Agüero have justified their price tag and the inevitable hype that surrounded them – but not every big name signing has worked for their English buyers.
For some of the failures bad scouting is to be blamed; they are the players who never had the talent to justify their transfer and failed because they simply weren’t good enough, like Nacho Gonzalez for Newcastle, or more spectacularly Ali Dia at Southampton.
The modern Premier League is a multicultural phenomenon; thanks to the influence of players like Eric Cantona and Gianfranco Zola, the league is the destination for players who see the money and headlines that await them, and thus, every season we sit back and wait for the latest big money foreign signing, that promise to transform the league and guide their new team to glory. In the past players like Didier Drogba and Sergio Agüero have justified their price tag and the inevitable hype that surrounded them – but not every big name signing has worked for their English buyers.
For some of the failures bad scouting is to be blamed; they are the players who never had the talent to justify their transfer and failed because they simply weren’t good enough, like Nacho Gonzalez for Newcastle, or more spectacularly Ali Dia at Southampton.
- 2/10/2014
- by Matt Martindale
- Obsessed with Film
© Steve Harris
Date: Wednesday, November 27 Venue: Santiago Bernabeu Kick-Off: 19:45
Real Madrid have already qualified for the knockout stages of the Champions League, but can guarantee first place by seeing off Galatasaray in Group B.
Team News
Real Madrid will be without Cristiano Ronaldo for the visit of Galatasaray on Wednesday.
The Portuguese talisman is out with a muscle strain and will be replaced by one of Angel Di Maria or Spain U-21 prospect Jesse, according to manager Carlo Ancelotti.
Centre-back Raphael Varane, left-back Fabio Coentrao and midfielder Sami Khedira are also out.
Roberto Mancini’s Galatasaray also have a series of injury concerns of their own. Wesley Sneijder is a doubt and Hamit Altintop, Aydin Yilmaz, Engin Baytar, Yekta Kurtulus and Fernando Muslera are all sidelined.
The good news is that former Chelsea star Didier Drogba is fit, and is expected to start after coming off the bench against Sivasspor at the weekend.
Date: Wednesday, November 27 Venue: Santiago Bernabeu Kick-Off: 19:45
Real Madrid have already qualified for the knockout stages of the Champions League, but can guarantee first place by seeing off Galatasaray in Group B.
Team News
Real Madrid will be without Cristiano Ronaldo for the visit of Galatasaray on Wednesday.
The Portuguese talisman is out with a muscle strain and will be replaced by one of Angel Di Maria or Spain U-21 prospect Jesse, according to manager Carlo Ancelotti.
Centre-back Raphael Varane, left-back Fabio Coentrao and midfielder Sami Khedira are also out.
Roberto Mancini’s Galatasaray also have a series of injury concerns of their own. Wesley Sneijder is a doubt and Hamit Altintop, Aydin Yilmaz, Engin Baytar, Yekta Kurtulus and Fernando Muslera are all sidelined.
The good news is that former Chelsea star Didier Drogba is fit, and is expected to start after coming off the bench against Sivasspor at the weekend.
- 11/27/2013
- by Joseph Dempsey
- Obsessed with Film
Media Image Ltd
Fulham striker Dimitar Berbatov has emerged as a surprise transfer target for Spanish giants Barcelona, according to the Express.
Reports in Spain suggest the Catalan club are looking for short-term cover for the injured Lionel Messi, and Berbatov is on their list.
While manager Gerardo Martino is confident in the abilities of Neymar and Alexis Sanchez – who scored a brace against England in Chile’s 2-0 win at Wembley last Friday – he remains keen on adding experienced back-up to his squad.
Borussia Dortmund’s Robert Lewandowski, Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero and ex-Chelsea star Didier Drogba are also believed to be on Martino’s shortlist, though the possibility of landing Berbatov less expensively comes as a more realistic option.
The 32-year-old ex-Manchester United star could be lured to Spain by the possibility of one final big career move and the shot of playing at the highest levels once more,...
Fulham striker Dimitar Berbatov has emerged as a surprise transfer target for Spanish giants Barcelona, according to the Express.
Reports in Spain suggest the Catalan club are looking for short-term cover for the injured Lionel Messi, and Berbatov is on their list.
While manager Gerardo Martino is confident in the abilities of Neymar and Alexis Sanchez – who scored a brace against England in Chile’s 2-0 win at Wembley last Friday – he remains keen on adding experienced back-up to his squad.
Borussia Dortmund’s Robert Lewandowski, Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero and ex-Chelsea star Didier Drogba are also believed to be on Martino’s shortlist, though the possibility of landing Berbatov less expensively comes as a more realistic option.
The 32-year-old ex-Manchester United star could be lured to Spain by the possibility of one final big career move and the shot of playing at the highest levels once more,...
- 11/19/2013
- by Joseph Dempsey
- Obsessed with Film
You can keep your FIFA 14s and your Pes 2014, because the end of this month sees the single biggest football release of the year for gamers with the arrival of Si Games’ behemoth management simulation Football Manager 2014. Once more, the curtain will drop on the latest addition, bursting with new features and promising hours of uninterrupted frustration as your star players question your motivation and demand moves, while Leighton Orient unfeasibly stick 4 past you at home against your first team in the League Cup.
We’ve already looked at some of the players who will need their ratings adjusted for inflation, deflation and flat-out wrongness recently, but now it’s time to turn our scouting eyes towards the biggest potential prospects in the game. The 11 players collected on this list could well be the kind of gems who mean your second and third seasons in the game prove to be decisively victorious,...
We’ve already looked at some of the players who will need their ratings adjusted for inflation, deflation and flat-out wrongness recently, but now it’s time to turn our scouting eyes towards the biggest potential prospects in the game. The 11 players collected on this list could well be the kind of gems who mean your second and third seasons in the game prove to be decisively victorious,...
- 10/15/2013
- by Simon Gallagher
- Obsessed with Film
Media Image Ltd
It’s safe to say that it’s the beginning of a new era at Goodison Park, an era which has most fans of The Toffees more positive than they ever were, even in the hayday of their previous manager and current Old Trafford incumbant David Moyes. In Roberto Martinez they have a manager who has set to his task firmly out of the media spotlight which has so closely follow his predecessor.
After a slow but steady start to the season, Everton have gone from winless to undefeated, and impressed even the most stringent of critics with their form and resilience, highlighted by yet another win at West Ham last weekend to continue their impressive run. Early days yes, but all signs are positive on the Blue side of Stanley Park. They will need this form in Saturday’s early kickoff as they face the daunting...
It’s safe to say that it’s the beginning of a new era at Goodison Park, an era which has most fans of The Toffees more positive than they ever were, even in the hayday of their previous manager and current Old Trafford incumbant David Moyes. In Roberto Martinez they have a manager who has set to his task firmly out of the media spotlight which has so closely follow his predecessor.
After a slow but steady start to the season, Everton have gone from winless to undefeated, and impressed even the most stringent of critics with their form and resilience, highlighted by yet another win at West Ham last weekend to continue their impressive run. Early days yes, but all signs are positive on the Blue side of Stanley Park. They will need this form in Saturday’s early kickoff as they face the daunting...
- 10/5/2013
- by Dan Pothecary
- Obsessed with Film
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.